On Friday, Russia announced that employees of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant had not been ordered to leave the facility, after Ukrainian military intelligence said earlier that Russia was gradually reducing personnel at the plant, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Russia was preparing there “terrorist act” to freeze the armed conflict.

“The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is operating normally. I did not give such instructions to the employees. No one is going anywhere,” said the Russian state company Rosatom, which is responsible for the civil nuclear sector, as reported by EFE and Agerpres.

The Main Directorate of Military Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR) reported on Friday morning that it has information according to which “the occupation contingent is gradually leaving the territory of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.” According to the GUR, “the first to leave the plant were three employees of Rosatom, who manage the activities of the Russians.”

The same Ukrainian special service also claims that Ukrainian employees who signed contracts with Rosatom were ordered to leave the facility by July 5 and were recommended to move to Crimea.

Also, according to GUR data, the frequency of Russian military patrols in the perimeter of the plant and near the city of Energodar (where the Zaporizhia plant is located) is gradually decreasing.

On June 22, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi accused Russia of preparing an attack – as a provocation – on the plant, which has been under the control of Russian troops since March last year.

In an interview with the Spanish press on Friday, he accused Russia of planning a “terrorist act” there that would cause a radiation leak, which would then require an end to hostilities. According to the Ukrainian president, such a strategy of the Russians should give them time to rearm and achieve their goals in the war against Ukraine.

“The plant is mined. This is a fact (…) We learned from our intelligence services about (Russia’s) plans to cause a leak of radioactivity, – says Zelensky.

Simulations were held in three regions of Ukraine in the vicinity of the NPP on Thursday as part of exercises to respond to the situation with radioactive emissions.

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